In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, I, the inventor, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of nectarine tree, which has been denominated varietally as ‘July Bright’. The present variety was hybridized by me in 1996, grown as a seedling on its own root in my greenhouse, and transplanted to a cultivated area of my experimental orchard located near Le Grand, Calif., in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley).
The variety was developed as a first generation cross using ‘Ruby Diamond’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,918) yellow flesh nectarine as the selected seed parent and ‘Fire Sweet’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,961) yellow flesh nectarine as the selected pollen parent. A single tree from the stated cross was selected as the claimed variety. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of nectarine tree, I asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of ‘Nemaguard’ (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is similar to its selected seed parent, ‘Ruby Diamond’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,918) nectarine, by producing nectarines that are nearly globose in shape, very firm in texture, and mostly red in skin color, but is distinguished therefrom by producing fruit that is clingstone instead of freestone in type, that is yellow with more red bleeding in flesh color, and that matures about seventeen days later.
The present variety is similar to its selected pollen parent, ‘Fire Sweet’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,961) nectarine, by producing nectarines that are nearly globose in shape, very firm in texture, clingstone in type, and mostly red in skin color, but is distinguished therefrom by producing fruit that is acidic rather than sub-acidic in flavor, that is yellow with more red bleeding in flesh color, and that matures about eight days earlier.
The present variety is most similar to ‘Summer Fire’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,506) nectarine, by producing nectarines that are nearly globose in shape, very firm in texture, clingstone in type, and mostly red in skin color, but is distinguished therefrom by being more productive and by producing fruit that is yellow with more red bleeding in flesh color and that matures about six days earlier.